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Chapter 1366: Chapter 9: "The world burns to my color ()."

The white rabbit was lying on the ground, it was fluffy and looked like a toy.

Under the dim street lights, four or five students surrounded a thin female student, punching and kicking her, and the white rabbit was stained with blood.

"...She was the one who reported me to the teacher, causing me to lose my subsidy for poor students." They pointed at the girl viciously.

"Fight! Fight quickly!"

"She looks so disgusting, tear her face off."

They kicked the female student with laughter, and her face was covered with purple and black spots.

Shen Xue did not participate in the bullying. She stood at the other end of the alley as a bystander.

Su Mingan remembers this scene when he was 17. What happened next had a huge impact on his entire life.

He would then...

"--stop!"

The 17-year-old turned on the flashlight, and the dazzling light illuminated the dank alley. He pointed at his left wrist and shouted: "I have recorded your behavior with my smart watch. If you bully her again, I will let the teacher take a good look at your face! In addition, my smart watch is connected to the Internet. If you dare to get close to me, I will immediately forward the video!"

For a moment, the students stopped punching and kicking and looked at him with fear and anger.

Su Mingan had no money to buy a smart watch. It was just an ordinary, broken watch, but it scared these students.

"...Let's go." The leader covered his face with his sleeves and left quickly, and the others quickly followed.

Su Ming'an walked into the alley, squatted down and looked at the bullied female student. She was his classmate named He Zhizhen. Because she had several large purple spots on her face and was not talkative, she was always alone in the class.

"Are you okay?" Su Mingan said.

"..." He Zhizhen raised her head, her purple and blue skin was torn apart, and her body was covered with scars.

"Thank you..." she stammered, stood up and walked back.

"I'll walk you a distance so they won't come again." Su Ming'an followed.

At this time, Shen Xue was still standing at the entrance of the alley. She had not been involved in this matter from beginning to end.

Su Mingan passed by her. Due to the rules of the story field, he could not attack her without reason, and the same was true for her. So their eyes crossed and Su Mingan saw the obsession and excitement in her eyes.

She must really like him.

I would rather give up everything and be in front of him.

But didn't she understand that he hated people like her the most?

……

In the next scene, Su Mingan was called to the office.

"Let me check your watch." The serious female teacher stretched out her hand.

Su Mingan knew that it was probably those students who reported him and wanted the teacher to confiscate his watch. After all, his high school prohibited watches that could connect to the Internet. And this teacher was a relative of one of the students, so he would definitely protect that student.

"Here." Su Mingan handed it over.

The female teacher checked it and found it was just an ordinary watch. After a moment of silence, she let Su Mingan go back.

"Dude, why were you called by the teacher?" After returning to the classroom, Bolong patted him on the shoulder and asked, "What happened?"

"I saved someone last night." Su Mingan told the story.

"He Zhizhen? She's our classmate." Bolong frowned and said, "Brother, next time you encounter something like this, don't do it. If she is being targeted, there must be a reason."

Su Mingan said: "Is it the theory of victim blaming?"

Bolong waved his hand and said:
"Hey... I mean, if it has nothing to do with us, don't make trouble for it. Look, even if you save her, there will be no benefit. Instead, you will be hated for no reason."

"You were smart last night. You thought of using an ordinary watch to trick them. But what if you were exposed last night? Would they let you go? If you were really killed by accident, what would happen to your Uncle Zhao?"

"You risk your own life to save others, but leave your loved ones with endless regrets."

"We are just ordinary people, not martial arts heroes. It is enough to take care of ourselves. Think about our relatives who miss us behind us."

After hearing what Bolong said, 17-year-old Su Mingan immediately wanted to refute, but at this moment, Bolong's words reminded him of his father.

Risking one's life to save others, leaving one's loved ones with endless regrets...

But his father only taught him the first half of the sentence.

The first half of the sentence was indeed accomplished by his father, but he was the one who had to bear the second half. If it was his turn to be the one who had to bear the first half, then who would bear the second half?
"I understand what you said. I will be more careful next time..." Su Mingan said.

"Right, buddy, think about it carefully." Bolong nodded:

"I've been with you for so long, and I understand you. Now you listen to me because you have Uncle Zhao behind you, and you think of him waiting for you at home."

"But let me put it bluntly. If one day there is no one behind you, then you will probably just rush forward and use yourself as fuel."

"Brother, take care of yourself. You are more important than anything else."

Bolong patted his shoulder and sighed.

In the evening, Su Mingan was blocked by the group of students.

Uncle Zhao's home is in a remote area, surrounded by unfinished buildings and few people, which gave this group of people an opportunity to take advantage of them.

In the alley, they formed a circle and blocked Su Mingan, holding clotheslines, sticks, iron rods and other objects in their hands.

"He looks so good, but he actually fooled us all last night! His watch is obviously not connected to the Internet!" The leading boy with a crew cut pointed at Su Mingan.

"Hit! Hit me!"

They rushed forward together, weapons raised.

Su Mingan caught a glimpse of Shen Xue hiding in the gap of the alley. She was probably trying to play the heroine who saves the king.

At that time, 17-year-old Su Mingan also encountered the same situation. But there was no Shen Xue to help him, and the 17-year-old Su Mingan was isolated and helpless.

The shadow of the sticks fell, the angry expressions of the students were getting closer and closer, and Shen Xue was ready to go.

However, a stumbling figure came running from the distance.

“Get—get away!!”

Immediately afterwards, one after another, stone-like objects came smashing down.

Upon closer inspection, I found that these thrown objects were actually straw toys.

A middle-aged man with a face as red as red earth came stumbling over, holding an armful of straw toys, and threw them at the group of students one after another. The straw toys were stuffed with pebbles, which made them run away in panic.

“——Get out! Don’t touch my son!!” the man shouted, his eyes as fierce as a wolf.

Su Mingan turned his head and the light shone on the man's broad cheek, on which there was a slap mark.

Zhao Zhuozhong, a stubborn, verbose, and timid person, a cautious person who wishes for a peaceful life and is afraid of getting into trouble. He dared not support Su Mingan in his artistic career, dared not support Su Mingan in pursuing his dreams, and was bent on persuading people to return to mediocrity.

He lived a cautious life, being timid and servile to everyone. He was the only one who got beaten, not the one who fought back. Even when he was shortchanged by a vendor in the vegetable market, he was the first to back off.

But he rushed up and beat up the group of students without hesitation.

"I let you bully my son - I let you bully my son!!!" He was like a wounded wolf, punching these students desperately, regardless of how many times he was hit with a stick.

The young and strong student immediately pushed him, and he fell on his butt, still throwing straw toys wildly in his hands.

"Go! This is a lunatic!" The leading student was punched and spat at him:
"Go, go..."

"Isn't he an orphan? No one comes to every parent-teacher meeting, but he actually has a father..."

The lights at the alley entrance are flickering, and the moon is hazy tonight.

There was water on the bluestone slabs. Zhao Zhuozhong was breathing heavily. He did not retract his idle gaze until he saw the group of students running away. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.

In his hand, he held a deformed straw toy.

"…Why are you here?"

"I just came back from the night market. I was chased away by the urban management before I sold a single piece. I was thinking of selling somewhere else, but I didn't expect to see you. Did you offend anyone?" Zhao Zhuozhong wiped his water-stained face.

"No, they came on their own initiative. What's going on with your face?"

"Being slapped by a local tyrant... It's none of your business. Just study hard. Don't get involved in any messy things that will affect your studies."

"Let me take you to the hospital. You've been hit several times."

"It's okay. I've been paying attention. It's just a superficial injury."

"All the straw toys were broken."

"If it's broken, I'll make it up tonight. I'll pick you up from school these few days, don't let these bad boys bully you."

"..."

"Ming An."

"Ok?"

Zhao Zhuozhong hesitated for a moment and handed him the only remaining straw toy in his hand.

"Here, a gift. When you passed by the window at the school gate, you looked at the crystal piano for a long time, so I made a replica of it..."

Su Mingan lowered his eyes.

In the man's hand was a small straw piano. It was very rough and deformed. Compared with the exquisite crystal piano ornament in the window, it looked like an ugly duckling.

But Su Mingan took the straw piano very gently and put it in his arms.

"Now I can't give you the material life you want. I know you envy other children... Just believe in your uncle. Sooner or later, your uncle will give you a good life!" Zhao Zhuozhong clenched his fists, his eyes full of seriousness.

There was a sound of thunder in the distance. The weather forecast said there would be a thunderstorm today.

Very fine raindrops fell on Su Mingan's forehead, and his vision instantly became a blurry golden color. He turned his head and seemed to see his father standing at the entrance of the alley.

...Dad, you know what? You don't have to worry about me anymore.

Someone loves me and I am no longer alone.

When I just lost my father, I ate steamed buns soaked in water for three meals a day, and that New Year's Eve I spent alone wrapped in a quilt...

The gorgeous golden color spread in his eyes.

He held the straw piano and said softly:
"I don't want a good life, nor do I want a rich material life."

"Uncle Zhao, I will let you live a good life in the future."

"No local tyrant dares to hit you, and you don't have to be chased by the city management. Our better days...are ahead."

The sound of rain is quiet at this moment.

Zhao Zhuozhong's gaze froze for a moment and his fists clenched.

After a while, Zhao Zhuozhong seemed to be unable to bear the silence. He touched his head and laughed out loud:
"Haha! You kid, you're even making this kind of oath. Okay! Uncle believes you!"

"——Our good days are still to come!!!"

The rain diffused the dim light. Although they were clearly in an unfinished building, they felt as if they were in a golden sunflower field. Each sunflower was big and round, just like the ones in a book called "Bronze Sunflower" that Su Mingan had read.

The sun is pouring down, and thousands of sunflowers are facing the sky.

The cry of "Sunflower" came out from the silent little mute's mouth, one time, one time, and one time again.

"...Uncle Zhao."

Bronze said:

"I really love you...I love you guys so much."

……

So I will protect myself for you.

I will also risk my life for you.

The first half of the sentence, the second half of the sentence.

I remember them all.

……

In the final scene, at the end of the semester, the school held a New Year's Day party.

Shen Xue finally appeared in this scene as the protagonist.

She wore a gorgeous white dress, went on stage and performed a swan dance.

One after another, dazzling young people walked onto the stage, singing, playing instruments, or dancing. The spotlights shone on them, and at that moment, they seemed to be the protagonists of the world.

The 17-year-old Su Mingan sat below, looking at his peers who were dazzling on the stage as if they were in a distant world.

"Dude, aren't you great at playing the piano? Why don't you go up?" Bolong sat next to him.

"...The performance costumes are too expensive, and I don't like sitting under the spotlight." Su Ming'an said, he moved his feet, and the stitches on his torn sneakers were clearly visible.

"But there are certificates for participating! And small gifts, I heard they are umbrellas and thermos cups."

"Thermos?" Su Mingan thought of Uncle Zhao. Uncle Zhao's thermos broke a long time ago and he had been reluctant to buy a new one.

"And there's a free performance session at the end. You don't need costumes, you can just go up and perform!" Bolong urged, "Don't miss it. You're amazing!"

The 17-year-old Su Mingan knew his limitations very early on - he couldn't pursue his dreams, couldn't think too far ahead, and the most important thing to do was to find a stable job and cover his family's medical expenses.

As for becoming a full-time artist, a freelancer, or a game anchor... these are all things that are out of reach. A hobby is a hobby, but a hobby cannot be used to make a living. A child from a well-off family can pursue his dreams, but he cannot afford the cost of failure.

But at this moment, a spark touched his heart.

With Bolong's encouragement, he stepped onto the stage.

Compared with other students, his torn sneakers were particularly eye-catching.

Sitting at the piano, he put his fingers down and the first note sounded.

Then, the melody flowed throughout the auditorium like sweet red bean paste.

Moonlight, moonlight.

The light fell on him, like the clear moonlight when his mother cut her wrists that night.

The dream came true at this moment. He seemed to be floating on the clouds, dazed and leisurely. Everyone was looking at him.

A black and white flower grew in the barren heart.

It was like a fragile dream.

"You play very well..." the students whispered to each other:
"It turns out he's so good at piano, he should apply to music school."

"Oh my god, which class is he from? I never noticed him before..."

After the fragmented sounds, the last note ended and the applause rang out like thunder and lasted for a long time.

The moment he stepped off the stage, he fell back to reality from the clouds.

A music teacher came over enthusiastically, repeatedly emphasized his talent, and told him the benefits of choosing music, but he still refused.

Dreams are a glittering banquet, but once the clock strikes twelve, reality does not allow him to dream.

Today he is dazzling and the center of attention. But tomorrow, everything will return to normal, and he will continue to move forward on the fixed path of life, studying, taking exams, taking certifications, going to work, commuting...towards a future that can be seen at a glance.

Finally, there was a dance party.

The boys and girls paired up and danced ballroom dance.

Many people have found dance partners. At this time, a female student in a white dress walked up to Su Mingan.

Her black hair fell delicately on her shoulders, her collarbone was white, and she was adorned with a beautiful little white rabbit pendant. She was like the most beautiful princess under the lights, attracting the envious gazes of countless people.

The dark eyes are like a pair of shiny glass beads.

"…MAY I?"

She held out her hand to him, bowed slightly, and blushed slightly.